Architect Paul Revere Williams is a star among celebrities

"He used to say if you could look at a house in a magazine from 40 years ago and still like it, that was good work. Now it's 90 years ago, and it's still good. His refined style remains coveted among a Who's Who of celebrities, with homes designed by Williams continuing to attract the entertainment elite and commanding premium prices in today's real estate market."

"If you were black, you had to be better than everyone else just to level the playing field. He was brilliant. When Williams opened his own firm in 1922, there were no black architects designing luxury homes, according to Hudson's research. It would be 25 years before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier and 33 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus."

"A crucial decision to start his career at a nonpaying job with a prominent architectural firm, paired with what Hudson called a God-given design talent, set him on the path to success. Williams taught himself to draw upside down and put the skill to good use. Clients who were uneasy around a black man could sit opposite him at a desk."

Paul Revere Williams stands as one of Hollywood's most influential architects, with his designs attracting generations of entertainment industry stars including Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Bill Cosby, and Denzel Washington. His refined architectural style has endured for over 90 years, with recent sales like Debra Messing's Bel-Air home commanding $11.4 million. During his half-century career, Williams created approximately 3,000 residential and commercial projects worldwide. As the first African American fellow of the American Institute of Architects, he overcame significant racial barriers by starting with an unpaid position at a prominent firm and developing exceptional design talent. When he opened his own firm in 1922, no black architects were designing luxury homes. Williams employed innovative strategies, including teaching himself to draw upside down to make uncomfortable clients feel at ease during consultations.

Read at Los Angeles Times